Search

Background Methods Results Conclusions Suicide attempts and deaths among children are increasing in the United States, yet suicide in this preadolescent population remains understudied. A clearer understanding of which youth experience early onset of suicidal behavior is crucial for predicting risk and identifying youth best suited to early intervention. This paper examines how intersectional marginalized identities may predict the onset of suicidal behaviors among preadolescent youth.The Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study is a prospective cohort study with annual assessments of youth ages 9 and 10 and their caregivers. Lifetime suicide attempts and preparatory suicidal behaviors were assessed annually. Survival models examined overall trends and demographic differences in the onset of suicidal behaviors.The final sample included 11,223 participants (mean age = 9.9 years old, SD = 7.5 months). 5,280 (47%) reported a minoritized racial/ethnic identity, and 1,410 (12.6%) were categorized as sexual or gender minorities. 208 suicide attempts and 143 instances of preparatory suicidal behaviors were reported across the study period. An interaction effect was found such that youth who hold multiple minoritized identities (i.e., sexual and gender minority youth from minoritized racial/ethnic backgrounds) were at elevated risk for onset of both suicide attempts (HR = 2.97, 95% CI = 1.59–5.56, p = .001) and preparatory suicidal behaviors (b = 3.09, 95% CI = 1.38–6.93, p = .006).Intersectional marginalized identities were associated with earlier onset of suicide attempts and preparatory suicidal behaviors. Findings suggest that early interventions for minoritized youth may be important to reduce the rapidly increasing suicide rate among preadolescent youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objectives and Methods Results Discussion and conclusions Accurately judging the efficacy of contraceptives is vital for preventing unintended pregnancy. The Pearl index and life table analysis describe female contraceptive performance. However, they are not ideal for quantifying male contraceptive efficacy given differences between male and female methods. In particular, male contraceptives like condoms are used “on demand” rather than long‐term like female contraceptives. Additionally, the number of episodes of sexual intercourse, a key determinant of risk, is not considered. Lastly, men can father concurrent pregnancies in more than one woman. For these reasons, a male‐specific measure may provide a more accurate measure of male contraceptive efficacy.As each episode of heterosexual intercourse within a fertile couple is associated with an approximately 3% risk of pregnancy, the chance of an unintended pregnancy with a given number of episodes of sexual intercourse can be modeled with and without contraceptives of various effectiveness.Such modeling demonstrates that unintended pregnancy is strongly associated with both the number of episodes of sexual intercourse and the efficacy of the method. Based on these models, I propose a novel metric for male contraceptive efficacy called the Probability of Pregnancy100, defined as the percent chance of an unintended pregnancy occurring with 100 episodes of intercourse. Probability of Pregnancy100 should be easy for men to understand and is applicable to men with multiple sexual partners or men using “on‐demand” contraceptives.The prevention of unintended pregnancy by a male contraceptive is strongly influenced by both method efficacy and sexual frequency. Probability of Pregnancy100 may offer a better measure of male contraceptive efficacy compared to the Pearl index and life table analysis as it takes sexual frequency into account; however, Probability of Pregnancy100 will need to be tested prospectively in male contraceptive studies alongside the Pearl index and life table analysis to determine its utility compared to these existing measures of contraceptive efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Several studies have suggested that blood donors have lower risk of gastrointestinal and breast cancers, whereas some have indicated an increased risk of haematological cancers. We examined these associations by appropriately adjusting the 'healthy donor effect' (HDE). Materials and Methods: We examined the risk of gastrointestinal/colorectal, breast and haematological cancers in regular high‐frequency whole blood (WB) donors using the Sax Institute's 45 and Up Study data linked with blood donation and other health‐related data. We calculated 5‐year cancer risks, risk differences and risk ratios. To mitigate HDE, we used 5‐year qualification period to select the exposure groups, and applied statistical adjustments using inverse probability weighting, along with other advanced doubly robust g‐methods. Results: We identified 2867 (42.4%) as regular high‐frequency and 3888 (57.6%) as low‐frequency donors. The inverse probability weighted 5‐year risk difference between high and low‐frequency donors for gastrointestinal/colorectal cancer was 0.2% (95% CI, −0.1% to 0.5%) with a risk ratio of 1.25 (0.83–1.68). For breast cancer, the risk difference was −0.2% (−0.9% to 0.4%), with a risk ratio of 0.87 (0.48–1.26). Regarding haematological cancers, the risk difference was 0.0% (−0.3% to 0.5%) with a risk ratio of 0.97 (0.55–1.40). Our doubly robust estimators targeted minimum loss‐based estimator (TMLE) and sequentially doubly robust (SDR) estimator, yielded similar results, but none of the findings were statistically significant. Conclusion: After applying methods to mitigate the HDE, we did not find any statistically significant differences in the risk of gastrointestinal/colorectal, breast and haematological cancers between regular high‐frequency and low‐frequency WB donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate disposal of pharmaceutical waste (PCW) is necessary to avoid potential risks and harm to the environment. Globally, there is extensive literature on the disposal practices of households and hospitals. However, literature on the disposal practices by pharmacies in Ghana is scanty, particularly in the study setting, the Volta Region of Ghana. This study (i) investigated the methods of PCW disposal, (ii) assessed the awareness and compliance of pharmacies with the disposal guidelines of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), and (iii) evaluated the impact of the years of existence and category of community pharmacies on compliance with FDA guidelines. A prospective cross‐sectional study design was used. Trained data collectors sampled all 81 registered pharmacies in the Volta Region. Questionnaires used were adapted from tools used in previous published studies. Descriptive data were presented in tables, and associations were measured with chi‐square tests. Statistical tests were set at 95% confidence intervals and p values set at 5% significance. Seventy‐four pharmacists responded to the questionnaire. Disposal through the FDA was the commonest method for all categories of dosage forms surveyed. The second most common method of disposal for all categories of dosage forms was by returning to parent companies. The majority of pharmacists (93.2%) were aware of the FDA (Ghana) disposal guidelines. However, 35.1% of pharmacies complied, 45.9% did not comply, and 2.7% were partially compliant. The type or category of pharmacy was not associated with compliance with disposal guidelines (p value = 0.889). However, the years of existence of pharmacies were associated with compliance with disposal guidelines (p value = 0.008). Although pharmacists in the Volta Region are aware of the PCW disposal guidelines of the FDA (Ghana), regardless of their years of experience and the type/category of community pharmacy they operate, they do not comply with these guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feeling loved by one's caregiver is essential for individual flourishing (i.e., high levels of psychological well‐being in multiple dimensions). Although similar constructs are found to benefit adolescent well‐being, research that directly tests parental love as a feeling from the recipient's perspective is rare. Historically, parental love has been measured using single‐assessment methods and assumed to be a stable, trait‐like characteristic; yet, like any feeling, it may fluctuate in meaningful ways on a day‐to‐day basis—the implications of which are unknown. Using a sample of 150 adolescents (59.3% female; ages 14–16), this study estimated level (person's mean level across days) and instability (fluctuations across days) of feeling loved by a caregiver across 21 days for each adolescent, and then examined their prospective effects on adolescent flourishing 1 year later. After controlling for demographics (adolescent age, gender, family income, and parent's sex) and variable baseline levels, feeling more loved by one's caregiver in daily life significantly predicted higher levels of flourishing in two global measures 1 year later. Moreover, level and instability of feeling loved by one's caregiver played different roles for different dimensions of flourishing: higher levels significantly predicted higher levels of autonomy, purpose in life, and personal growth, whereas higher instability significantly predicted lower levels of positive relations with others and environmental mastery. Findings emphasized the importance of considering daily dynamics of feeling loved by one's caregiver and demonstrated that level (of feeling loved) is particularly important for intrapersonal aspects while instability is particularly important for interpersonal aspects of flourishing. Research Highlights: Adolescents feeling more loved by their caregiver in daily life had higher levels of overall flourishing 1 year later.Level (of feeling loved) is particularly important for intrapersonal aspects of adolescent flourishing, including autonomy, purpose in life, and personal growth.Stability (of feeling loved) is particularly important for interpersonal aspects of adolescent flourishing, including positive relations with others and environmental mastery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breeding annual crops for enhanced root depth and biomass is considered a promising intervention to accrue soil organic carbon (SOC) in croplands, with benefits for climate change mitigation and soil health. In annual crops, genetic technology (seed) is replaced every year as part of a farmer's fixed costs, making breeding solutions to climate change more scalable and affordable than management approaches. However, mechanistic understanding and quantitative estimates of SOC accrual potentials from crops with enhanced root phenotypes are lacking. Maize is the highest acreage and yielding crop in the US, characterized by relatively low root biomass confined to the topsoil, making it a suitable candidate for improvement that could be rapidly scaled. We ran a 2‐year field experiment to quantify the formation and composition (i.e., particulate (POM), coarse and fine mineral–associated organic matter (chaOM and MAOM, respectively) of new SOC to a depth of 90 cm from the decomposition of isotopically labeled maize roots and exudates. Additionally, we used the process‐based MEMS 2 model to simulate the SOC accrual potential of maize root ideotypes enhanced to either shift root production to deeper depths or increase root biomass allocation, assuming no change in overall productivity. In our field experiment, maize root decomposition preferentially formed POM, with doubled efficiency below 50 cm, while root exudates preferentially formed MAOM. Modeling showed that shifting root inputs to deeper layer or increasing allocation to roots resulted in a deterministic increase in SOC, ranging from 0.05 to 0.15 Mg C ha−1 per year, which are at the low end of the range of published SOC per hectare annual accrual estimates from adoption of a variety of crop management practices. Our analysis indicates that for maize, breeding for increasing root inputs as a strategy for SOC accrual has limited impact on a per‐hectare basis, although given that globally maize is produced on hundreds of millions of hectares each year, there is potential for this technology and its effect to scale. For maize–soy system that dominates US acres, changes in the overall cropping system are needed for sizable greenhouse gas reductions and SOC accrual. This study demonstrated a modeling and experimental framework to quantify and forecast SOC changes created by changing crop root inputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A general method for the synthesis of spiroacetals was investigated. Simple symmetrical [n,n]‐spiroacetals (n=5,6) can be prepared from α,ω‐alkanediols by their conversion to the respective ω‐benzyloxyalkyl bromides, addition of their Grignard reagents to ethyl formate, further oxidation of the resulting secondary alcohols and finally deprotection with spontaneous intramolecular acetalization. Access to the respective unsymmetrical [m,n]‐spiroacetals (m,n=5,6,7) was similarly achieved by addition of the above Grignard reagent to a ω‐benzyloxyalkanal, followed by the same reaction sequence. This method was further adapted for the synthesis of the unsubstituted structural core of natural spiroacetals oleocaran and elmonin, thus demonstrating its potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is an oncogenic virus associated with various malignancies, including classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). Despite its known association, the specific role of humoral immune response to EBV remains poorly characterized in cHL. To address this, we conducted a study using a custom protein microarray to measure the antibody responses in cHL patients and matched healthy controls recruited from an East‐Asian hospital‐based case–control study. We identified 16 IgG antibodies significantly elevated in EBV‐positive cHL compared with controls, defining an "East‐Asian antibody signature of EBV‐positive cHL." We evaluated responses against these 16 antibodies in a distinct European population, leveraging data from our previous European cHL case–control study from the UK, Denmark, and Sweden. A subset of antibodies (14/16, 87.5%) from the "East‐Asian antibody signature of EBV‐positive cHL" exhibited significant associations with cHL in the European population. Conversely, we assessed the "European antibody signature of EBV‐positive cHL" identified in our prior study which consisted of 18 EBV antibodies (2 IgA, 16 IgG), in the East‐Asian population. A subset of these antibodies (15/18, 83.3%) maintained significant associations with cHL in the East‐Asian population. This cross‐comparison of antibody signatures underscores the robust generalizability of EBV antibodies across populations. Five anti‐EBV IgG antibodies (LMP‐1, TK, BALF2, BDLF3, and BBLF1), found in both population‐specific antibody signatures, represent a "core signature of EBV‐positive cHL." Our findings suggest that the antibody responses targeting these core EBV proteins reflect a specific EBV gene expression pattern, serving as potential biomarkers for EBV‐positive cHL independent of population‐specific factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compounds bearing the sulfoxide moiety display an important class of molecules in pharmaceutical industry. Many efforts have been made towards the development of novel, sustainable, easy‐to‐execute and industrially friendly processes. A novel iodonium‐salt‐mediated oxidation protocol for the conversion of sulfides into the corresponding sulfoxides is reported, employing DMSO as the oxidant. Several sulfides decorated with various functional groups were tested, leading to the corresponding products in good to excellent yields with remarkable chemoselectivity. The oxidation protocol was successfully applied to the synthesis of the pharmaceutical active ingredients (APIs) Sulforaphane and Modafinil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Currently, approximately half of all pregnancies worldwide are unintended. Contraceptive use significantly reduces the risk of unintended pregnancy; however, options for men are particularly limited. Consequently, efforts are underway to develop novel, safe, and effective male contraceptives. Results: This review discusses research into emerging male contraceptive methods that either inhibit sperm production or impair sperm function. It focuses on those in the preclinical or early clinical stages of development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document provides a comprehensive overview of iron deficiency, its diagnosis, and management. It highlights the global prevalence of iron deficiency, with a particular focus on its impact on women. The document explains the classifications and diagnosis of iron deficiency, as well as the causes and investigation of the condition. It also discusses various treatment options, including oral and intravenous iron supplementation, and emphasizes the importance of monitoring response to therapy. The document includes helpful tables outlining recommended serum ferritin levels, the likelihood of different causes of iron deficiency, and the elemental iron content of different oral iron formulations. It also provides information on intravenous iron formulations and their recommended dosages. This resource is a valuable tool for individuals researching iron deficiency and its treatment options. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: Pediatric loss‐of‐control (LOC) eating is associated with high BMI and predicts binge‐eating disorder and obesity onset with age. Research on the etiology of this common comorbidity has not explored the potential for shared genetic risk. This study examined genetic and environmental influences on LOC eating and its shared influence with BMI. Method: Participants were 499 monozygotic and 398 same‐sex dizygotic twins (age = 17.38 years ± 0.67, BMIz = 0.03 ± 1.03, 54% female) from the Colorado Center for Antisocial Drug Dependence Study. LOC eating was assessed dichotomously. Self‐reported height and weight were converted to BMIz. Univariate and bivariate twin models estimated genetic and environmental influences on LOC eating and BMIz. Results: More girls (21%) than boys (9%, p < 0.001) reported LOC eating. The phenotypic correlation with BMIz was 0.03 in girls and 0.18 in boys. Due to the nonsignificant phenotypic correlation in girls, bivariate twin models were fit in boys only. Across all models, the best‐fitting model included genetic and unique environmental effects. Genetic factors accounted for 0.51 (95% CI: 0.23, 0.73) of the variance of LOC eating in girls and 0.54 (0.18, 0.90) in boys. The genetic correlation between LOC eating and BMIz in boys was 0.45 (0.15, 0.75). Discussion: Findings indicate moderate heritability of LOC eating in adolescence, while emphasizing the role of unique environmental factors. In boys, LOC eating and BMIz share a proportion of their genetic influences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the use of omics data, such as genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data, in chemical grouping and read-across for chemical risk assessment. It explains that traditional approaches to chemical safety rely on in vivo toxicity data, but there is a growing recognition of the need for more mechanistically based approaches that do not involve animal testing. The article introduces non-experts to the concept of grouping and read-across, discusses the value of omics technologies in this context, presents case studies, and identifies challenges and next steps for incorporating omics data into chemical grouping. It also discusses the regulatory landscape and the need for standardized reporting templates. However, it acknowledges that there are limitations to chemical grouping, as structural similarity does not always predict similar biological responses. Overall, the article highlights the potential of omics data in chemical grouping and the need for further research and implementation in this area. [Extracted from the article]

Backgrounds: Despite a wide spectrum of contraceptive methods for women, the unintended pregnancy rate remains high (45% in the US), with 50% resulting in abortion. Currently, 20% of global contraceptive use is male‐directed, with a wide variation among countries due to limited availability and lack of efficacy. Worldwide studies indicate that >50% of men would opt to use a reversible method, and 90% of women would rely on their partner to use a contraceptive. Additional reasons for novel male contraceptive methods to be available include the increased life expectancy, sharing the reproductive risks among partners, social issues, the lack of pharma industry involvement and the lack of opinion makers advocating for male contraception. Aim: The present guidelines aim to review the status regarding male contraception, the current state of the art to support the clinical practice, recommend minimal requirements for new male contraceptive development and provide and grade updated, evidence‐based recommendations from the European Society of Andrology (EAA) and the American Society of Andrology (ASA). Methods: An expert panel of academicians appointed by the EAA and the ASA generated a consensus guideline according to the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) system. Results: Sixty evidence‐based and graded recommendations were produced on couple‐centered communication, behaviors, barrier methods, semen analysis and contraceptive efficacy, physical agents, surgical methods, actions before initiating male contraception, hormonal methods, non‐hormonal methods, vaccines, and social and ethical considerations. Conclusion: As gender roles transform and gender equity is established in relationships, the male contribution to family planning must be facilitated. Efficient and safe male‐directed methods must be evaluated and introduced into clinical practice, preferably reversible, either hormonal or non‐hormonal. From a future perspective, identifying new hormonal combinations, suitable testicular targets, and emerging vas occlusion methods will produce novel molecules and products for male contraception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Efforts to develop reversible male contraceptives analogous to female oral contraceptives are underway and may be introduced in the next decade. The advent of novel male contraceptives provides an opportunity for an ethical reformulation of the contraceptive paradigm given the relational, rather than individual, nature of sexual relationships, and family planning. For individuals in any sexual relationship that could result in pregnancy, issues of reproductive autonomy, freedom, equality in reproductive decision‐making and risks—both of side effects and of unintended pregnancies—are significant. Historically, however, women have been attributed the greatest responsibilities simultaneously with the most restrictions on their freedom of choice and access to reproductive care. Objectives: In this paper, we extend our prior "shared risk" model of male contraception to one of "shared risk and responsibility" to ethically inform this discourse. Conclusions: This updated framework more fully captures the complexity of this novel technology and may be of use to regulatory and legal agencies grappling with an intervention that poses medical risks to the member of the relationship who does not face risks of becoming pregnant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oberlin Cemetery, located near downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, was founded in 1873 following the American Civil War (1861–1865). This 3.2 ac (~1.29 ha) parcel of land served as the main cemetery for the people of Oberlin Village—the largest freedmen's community in Wake County. Today, descendants of the village founders and other neighbourhood residents, organized as the Friends of Oberlin Village (FOV), are preserving this community landmark and working to have its historical significance recognized. In support of these efforts, terrestrial laser scanning, global‐positioning‐system‐enabled pedestrian and ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) surveys were conducted during the winter and summer of 2016. We inventoried 276 formal grave markers identifying 221 individuals, 296 elongate depressions without a formal marker interpreted as sunken graves, and 130 fieldstones interpreted as burial markers, resulting in an estimate of 517‐to‐660 persons interred within the cemetery. The GPR survey supported the interpretation of topographic depressions as sunken graves; however, the undulating topography, as well as the density of trees and shrubs, limited this survey to ~12% of the site. Based on the birth dates listed on monuments, ~23% of these persons were born before the end of the Civil War. Death dates show the community's continued use of the cemetery throughout the early 1970s and less frequent use after that, with the most recent burials in 2009. A comparison with a 2012 inventory of monuments within Oberlin Cemetery suggests that ~3% of the markers were lost or displaced in 4 years, highlighting the importance of survey and preservation efforts. This work contributed to the FOV's successful nomination of the cemetery to the US National Register of Historic Places and was used to support several grants received for its preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the preparation, isolation, and reactivity of gas‐phase lanthanide nitrate and acetate complexes featuring the elusive trivalent LnIII=O bond. Complexes [LnIII(O)(X)2]− (X=NO3− or CH3CO2−; Ln=La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Tm, Lu) are prepared from [LnIII(CH3CO2)(X)3]− precursors through decarboxylation followed by nitromethane or acetone elimination. The oxo complexes hydrolyze at rates indicating LnIII=O bond stability. The rates for [LnIII(O)(NO3)2]− are essentially invariant, whereas those for [LnIII(O)(CH3CO2)2]− exhibit a moderate decrease across the lanthanide series. The kinetics of lanthanide‐oxo bond hydrolysis are assessed in the context of participation of 5d2 electrons in bonding, changes in covalency via variations in 5d orbital energies and radial extensions, and steric crowding around the lanthanide center. The observed fast hydrolysis rates and lack of correlation to electronic and qualitative covalent considerations confirm the expected strong polarization in LnIII=O bonding, with variations in covalency minimally impacting reactivity. The LnIII=O bond reactivity is compared with previous results for LnIII−O⋅ and LnIV=O, and actinide AnIII=O and AnIV=O; implications for lanthanide/actinide and lanthanide/lanthanide partitioning are discussed. Additionally, nitromethane and acetone elimination are demonstrated as useful for inducing a 2e− O‐atom transfer resulting in non‐oxidative formation of lanthanide‐oxos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimates of the influence of inbreeding on the fitness of wild animals can guide genetic conservation in rare species. Conservation genetics is important in Mexican wolves (Canis lupus baileyi) because the current population descended from 7 founders and mean inbreeding is relatively high. As an endangered subspecies, Mexican wolves are actively managed using select conflict avoidance measures and by placing captive‐born foster pups into wild litters. We obtained data on inbreeding coefficients of wolf pups and adults based on a pedigree dating to 1957 and data on reproduction for wild wolf packs during 1998–2022. We estimated trends in inbreeding coefficients and the associations between dam, sire, and pup inbreeding coefficients and pup recruitment to age 9 months, and assessed 3 components of recruitment: probability of producing a litter, number of pups produced, and recruitment conditional on successful reproduction. We generated estimates using generalized linear mixed models and bootstrapped estimates of confidence intervals. Mean inbreeding coefficients were high (0.227, SD = 0.047) in the wild population, but we detected no significant evidence of an increase during 2010–2022. Overall, the net associations of dam, sire, and pup inbreeding coefficients with our primary fitness metric, pup recruitment to age 9 months, did not differ from zero. While high inbreeding coefficients are a concern for the long‐term recovery of the subspecies, the stable level of inbreeding, lack of evidence for inbreeding depression, high pup production (5.1 pups/litter, SD = 1.64), and rapid population growth (384% increase from 2010–2022) indicate that inbreeding has not prevented rapid progress towards recovery goals under current management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a potentially serious osteopathic disorder associated with coalescing ossifications of the anterior vertebrae and may be concomitant with a constellation of symptomatology and systemic comorbidities. There is limited dental literature describing this finding on panoramic radiographs and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. Case presentations: Two case reports of DISH are provided. One patient manifested extensive ossifications along the cervical vertebrae and consequent episodes of dysphagia and hoarseness. The other affected patient's cervical ossification was found at an earlier stage of formation and without symptomatology. Panoramic radiography, cervical spine radiography, and CBCT examinations have been provided. Conclusion: Attending dental healthcare practitioners should carefully evaluate all areas of interest and surrounding fields of view when taking panoramic radiographs and CBCT scans for manifestations of DISH and other potential disorders of the cervical vertebrae. A suspected radiologic finding of DISH should prompt timely referral for comprehensive medical assessment to mitigate neurologic deficits and other comorbidities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radon is a radioactive gas and a major risk factor for lung cancer (LC). Methods: We investigated the dose–response relationship between radon and LC risk in the International Lung Cancer Consortium with 8927 cases and 5562 controls from Europe, North America, and Israel, conducted between 1992 and 2016. Spatial indoor radon exposure in the residential area (sIR) obtained from national surveys was linked to the participants' residential geolocation. Parametric linear and spline functions were fitted within a logistic regression framework. Results: We observed a non‐linear spatial‐dose response relationship for sIR < 200 Bq/m3. The lowest risk was observed for areas of mean exposure of 58 Bq/m3 (95% CI: 56.1–59.2 Bq/m3). The relative risk of lung cancer increased to the same degree in areas averaging 25 Bq/m3 (OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.01–1.59) as in areas with a mean of 100 Bq/m3 (OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.20–1.45). The strongest association was observed for small cell lung cancer and the weakest for squamous cell carcinoma. A stronger association was also observed in men, but only at higher exposure levels. The non‐linear association is primarily observed among the younger population (age < 69 years), but not in the older population, which can potentially represent different biological radiation responses. Conclusions: The sIR is useful as proxy of individual radon exposure in epidemiological studies on lung cancer. The usual assumption of a linear, no‐threshold dose–response relationship, as can be made for individual radon exposures, may not be optimal for sIR values of less than 200 Bq/m3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autonomous sensor networks providing real‐time data are growing in popularity with community scientists due to instant availability of high‐frequency data. What role does this monitoring play in watershed assessment alongside agency‐run monitoring programs? How accessible, interoperable, and reusable are the data for other researchers? We compared a community science‐led stream monitoring network—EnviroDIY—in the Delaware River Basin, in which more than 50 watershed organizations have deployed more than 100 stations monitoring temperature, electric conductivity, depth, and sometimes turbidity, with the Basin's US Geological Survey (USGS) stream gauge network. The EnviroDIY network (n = 124) complemented the USGS network (n = 102) by monitoring sites with different watershed sizes and land‐use distributions. Although data were accessible and interoperable using a web data portal, community scientists had difficulty sharing metadata that would enable data reuse outside this project and they required support analyzing these large datasets to understand threats to watershed conditions. We address those needs here with a conceptual framework for interpreting data and communicating results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2023 Annual Symposium of the Fisheries Society of the British Isles hosted opportunities for researchers, scientists, and policy makers to reflect on the state of art of predicting fish distributions and consider the implications to the marine and aquatic environments of a changing climate. The outcome of one special interest group at the Symposium was a collection of questions, organized under five themes, which begin to capture the state of the field and identify priorities for research and management over the coming years. The five themes were Physiology, Mechanisms, Detect and Measure, Manage, and Wider Ecosystems. The questions, 25 of them, addressed concepts which remain poorly understood, are data deficient, and/or are likely to be impacted in measurable or profound ways by climate change. Moving from the first to the last theme, the questions expanded in the scope of their considerations, from specific processes within the individual to ecosystem‐wide impacts, but no one question is bigger than any other: each is important in detecting, understanding, and predicting fish distributions, and each will be impacted by an aspect of climate change. In this way, our questions, particularly those concerning unknown mechanisms and data deficiencies, aimed to offer a guide to other researchers, managers, and policy makers in the prioritization of future work as a changing climate is expected to have complex and disperse impacts on fish populations and distributions that will require a coordinated effort to address. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Chronic hepatitis B virus (CHB) infection remains a major public health problem. The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) 2018 Hepatitis B Guidelines provide that CHB individuals not requiring antiviral therapy yet are monitored to determine the need for antiviral therapy in the future; however, these tests do not include measurement of cytokines and immune cell characterization. This case‐control study compared the cytokine and immune checkpoint protein expression profiles between CHB individuals not yet on antiviral treatment and hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐negative individuals. Methods: CD4 and CD8 T cells from CHB and HBV‐negative individuals were characterized for immune checkpoint proteins programmed cell death‐1 (PD1), T cell Immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain‐containing protein 3 (TIM‐3), and cytotoxic T lymphocyte‐associated antigen 4 (CTLA‐4) (CD152), and a memory marker CXCR3 (CD183) using flow cytometry. Malaria‐induced cytokine expression levels were determined by stimulating their blood cells with Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 strain antigens (CSP, AMA‐1, and TRAP) in whole blood assays, and cytokine levels were measured using a 13‐plex Luminex kit. Results: HBV‐negative and CHB individuals had comparable levels of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. However, a proportion of the CD4+ and CD8+ populations from both groups, which were CXCR3+, expressed PD‐1 and CD152. The ability to produce cytokines in response to malaria antigen stimulation was not significantly different between the groups. Conclusion: These findings support excluding CHB individuals from antiviral therapy at this stage of infection. However, CHB individuals require regular monitoring to determine the need for later antiviral treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Olivia Cheung's book "Factional‐Ideological Conflicts in Chinese Politics: To the Left or to the Right?" offers a comprehensive analysis of ideological struggles among China's leaders from the 1960s to the present. The book focuses on elite power struggles between left and right factions by examining local-level models used to challenge the party line and shape China's future. Cheung's study highlights the role of factions in shaping major policy areas over the last six decades, emphasizing the importance of ideological commitment in elite politics. The book also discusses the impact of Xi Jinping's centralization of power on factional conflicts and policy-making processes in China. [Extracted from the article]

This paper examines the potential integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) with the Systems Modeling Language version 2 (SysML v2), proposing a novel methodology for systems engineering by capitalizing on the enhanced readability and human‐friendly syntax of SysML v2. Given the emergent sophistication of LLMs and the coincidental development of SysML v2—‐an endeavor that presents a pivot toward naturally articulated model interaction—‐we explore the possibilities and implications of such an intersection. Our investigation posits that LLMs can serve not only as an interpretive layer, allowing for the syntactically simplified manipulation of system models, but also as a catalyst for a knowledge‐driven design approach. We highlight the efficiencies gained by deploying LLMs for SysML v2 interactions, which reduce the dependency on technical expertise traditionally needed for API navigation and model management. Through case studies and analysis, we demonstrate that the conversational engagement with system models facilitated by LLMs can lead to a democratized and accelerated design process. However, this advent is tempered by a critical awareness of potential pitfalls, such as automation bias and overreliance on automated systems—‐underscoring the need for continued human oversight and the examination of ethical considerations. Emphasizing the chance of SysML v2 being inherently English‐based and the parallel maturation of LLMs, this paper suggests that the collaborative utilization of these concurrent advancements may offer an opportune fusion, potentially revolutionizing the way systems are modeled and managed. Future work involves the empirical validation of these approaches and a deeper investigation into interoperability with existing and future systems engineering ecosystems. The ultimate goal is to ensure that this fusion not only complements human expertise but also propels systems engineering into a new era of innovation and holistic design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species rarity is a common phenomenon across global ecosystems that is becoming increasingly more common under climate change. Although species rarity is often considered to be a stochastic response to environmental and ecological constraints, we examined the hypothesis that plant rarity is a consequence of natural selection acting on performance traits that affect a species range size, habitat specificity, and population aggregation; three primary descriptors of rarity. Using a common garden of 25 species of Tasmanian Eucalyptus, we find that the rarest species have 70% lower biomass than common species. Although rare species demonstrate lower biomass, rare species allocated proportionally more biomass aboveground than common species. There is also a negative phylogenetic autocorrelation underlying the biomass of rare and common species, indicating that traits associated with rarity have diverged within subgenera as a result of environmental factors to reach different associated optima. In support of our hypothesis, we found significant positive relationships between species biomass, range size and habitat specificity, but not population aggregation. These results demonstrate repeated convergent evolution of the trait‐based determinants of rarity across the phylogeny in Tasmanian eucalypts. Furthermore, the phylogenetically driven patterns in biomass and biomass allocation seen in rare species may be representative of a larger plant strategy, not yet considered, but offering a mechanism as to how rare species continue to persist despite inherent constraints of small, specialized ranges and populations. These results suggest that if rarity can evolve and is related to plant traits such as biomass, rather than a random outcome of environmental constraints, we may need to revise conservation efforts in these and other rare species to reconsider the abiotic and biotic factors that underlie the distributions of rare plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF) has been preparing the nation's first exascale system, Frontier, for production and end users. Frontier is based on HPE Cray's new EX architecture and Slingshot interconnect and features 74 cabinets of optimized 3rd Gen AMD EPYC CPUs for HPC and AI and AMD Instinct 250X accelerators. As a part of this preparation, "real‐world" user codes have been selected to help assess the functionality, performance, and usability of the system. This article describes early experiences using the system in collaboration with the Hamburg Observatory for two selected codes, which have since been adopted in the OLCF test harness. Experiences discussed include efforts to resolve performance variability and per‐cycle slowdowns. Results are shown for a performance portable astrophysical magnetohydronamics code, AthenaPK, and a mini‐application stressing the core functionality of a performance portable block‐structured adaptive mesh refinement framework, Parthenon‐Hydro. These results show good scaling characteristics to the full system. At the largest scale, the Parthenon‐Hydro miniapp reaches a total of 1.7×1013 zone‐cycles/s on 9216 nodes (73,728 logical GPUs) at ≈92% weak scaling parallel efficiency (starting from a single node using a second‐order, finite‐volume method). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The articles that compose this special issue of Economic Anthropology represent a sample of the work presented and discussed at the 2023 annual meeting of the Society for Economic Anthropology on the topic of well‐being and the common good. I trace the roots of this conference theme in the midst of the COVID‐19 pandemic and its connections to the literature on the "anthropologies of the good." I then unpack three themes that emerge across the articles in this special issue: the value of tacking between objective measures and subjective meanings, the productive tension produced by investigating across scales, and patterned variation from which we can build an anthropological theory of the good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neurofibromas are benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors usually featured with neurofibromatosis type 1 syndrome. Recurrent gingival neurofibromas have been rarely reported in the periodontal literature, particularly affecting elderly patients. Methods and Results: A 70‐year‐old man with a pale, rubbery, and painless thickening along the facial/buccal gingiva of the mandibular right canine and first premolar. Ten years prior, the patient had undergone excision of a neurofibroma within the same region. The patient denied a history of cutaneous disease or neurofibromatosis. Histopathologic and immunostaining of the excised lesion confirmed the diagnosis as a recurrent gingival neurofibroma. Conclusions: With cases of suspected recurrent neurofibroma, attending practitioners should consult with an oral pathologist whether the primary lesion had exhibited tumor cells to the surgical specimen margin. Preoperative use of a cone beam computed tomography scan may enhance determination of tumor depth. Clinicians should also carefully weigh the decision for conservative excision of gingival neurofibromas and greater risk of recurrence versus performing a somewhat wider extirpation and possible formation of a mucogingival defect. Key points: What are important clinical considerations when performing a gingival biopsy?Gingival neurofibromas may be associated with an increased risk for recurrence owing to decisions for tissue‐sparing excision and prevention of a mucogingival defect; supplemental use of cone beam computed tomographic scans may provide greater appreciation of tumor depth. What is a reasonable length of time of postoperative assessment for gingival neurofibromas?Patients who have undergone surgical removal of a gingival neurofibroma should undergo yearly surveillance for at least 10 years. What is a key limitation to this case study?Preoperatively, attending clinicians should consult with an oral pathologist to ascertain whether a primary lesion had manifested tumor cells to the surgical margin. Conservative gingival resection of a neurofibroma may promote recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteria contain conserved mechanisms to control the intracellular levels of metal ions. Metalloregulatory transcription factors bind metal cations and play a central role in regulating gene expression of metal transporters. Often, these transcription factors regulate transcription by binding to a specific DNA sequence in the promoter region of target genes. Understanding the preferred DNA‐binding sequence for transcriptional regulators can help uncover novel gene targets and provide insight into the biological role of the transcription factor in the host organism. Here, we identify consensus DNA‐binding sequences and subsequent transcription regulatory networks for two metalloregulators from the ferric uptake regulator (FUR) and diphtheria toxin repressor (DtxR) superfamilies in Thermus thermophilus HB8. By homology search, we classify the DtxR homolog as a manganese‐specific, MntR (TtMntR), and the FUR homolog as a peroxide‐sensing, PerR (TtPerR). Both transcription factors repress separate ZIP transporter genes in vivo, and TtPerR acts as a bifunctional transcription regulator by activating the expression of ferric and hemin transport systems. We show TtPerR and TtMntR bind DNA in the presence of manganese in vitro and in vivo; however, TtPerR is unable to bind DNA in the presence of iron, likely due to iron‐mediated histidine oxidation. Unlike canonical PerR homologs, TtPerR does not appear to contribute to peroxide detoxification. Instead, the TtPerR regulon and DNA binding sequence are more reminiscent of Fur or Mur homologs. Collectively, these results highlight the similarities and differences between two metalloregulatory superfamilies and underscore the interplay of manganese and iron in transcription factor regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The newly emerged SARS‐CoV‐2 possesses shared antigenic epitopes with other human coronaviruses. We investigated if COVID‐19 vaccination or SARS‐CoV‐2 infection may boost cross‐reactive antibodies to other human coronaviruses. Methods: Prevaccination and postvaccination sera from SARS‐CoV‐2 naïve healthy subjects who received three doses of the mRNA vaccine (BioNTech, BNT) or the inactivated vaccine (CoronaVac, CV) were used to monitor the level of cross‐reactive antibodies raised against other human coronaviruses by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. In comparison, convalescent sera from COVID‐19 patients with or without prior vaccination history were also tested. Pseudoparticle neutralization assay was performed to detect neutralization antibody against MERS‐CoV. Results: Among SARS‐CoV‐2 infection−naïve subjects, BNT or CV significantly increased the anti‐S2 antibodies against Betacoronaviruses (OC43 and MERS‐CoV) but not Alphacoronaviruses (229E). The prevaccination antibody response to the common cold human coronaviruses did not negatively impact the postvaccination antibody response to SARS‐CoV‐2. Cross‐reactive antibodies that binds to the S2 protein of MERS‐CoV were similarly detected from the convalescent sera of COVID‐19 patients with or without vaccination history. However, these anti‐S2 antibodies do not possess neutralizing activity in MERS‐CoV pseudoparticle neutralization tests. Conclusions: Our results suggest that SARS‐CoV‐2 infection or vaccination may potentially modulate population immune landscape against previously exposed or novel human coronaviruses. The findings have implications for future sero‐epidemiological studies on MERS‐CoV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antiretroviral therapy (ART)‐associated metabolic abnormalities, including impairment of glucose metabolism, are prevalent in adults living with HIV. However, the prevalence and pathogenesis of impaired glucose metabolism in children and adolescents living with HIV, particularly in sub‐Saharan Africa, are not well characterized. We investigated the prevalence of impaired glucose metabolism among children and adolescents living with perinatally infected HIV in Ghana. Methods: In this multicentre, cross‐sectional study, we recruited participants from 10 paediatric antiretroviral treatment clinics from January to June 2022 in 10 facilities in Greater Accra and Eastern regions of Ghana. We determined impaired glucose metabolism in the study sample by assessing fasting blood sugar (FBS), insulin resistance as defined by the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) index and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. The prevalence of impaired glucose metabolism using each criterion was stratified by age and sex. The phenotypic correlates of glucose metabolism markers were also assessed among age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and waist‐to‐hip ratio (WHR). Results: We analysed data from 393 children and adolescents living with HIV aged 6–18 years. A little over half (205/393 or 52.25%) of the children were female. The mean age of the participants was 11.60 years (SD = 3.50), with 122/393 (31.00%) aged 6–9 years, 207/393 (52.67%) aged 10–15 years, and 62/393 (15.78%) aged 16–18 years. The prevalence rates of glucose impairment in the study population were 15.52% [95% confidence interval (CI): 12.26–19.45], 22.39% (95% CI: 18.54–26.78), and 26.21% (95% CI: 22.10–30.78) using HbA1c, HOMA‐IR, and FBS criteria, respectively. Impaired glucose metabolism detected by FBS and HOMA‐IR was higher in the older age group, whereas the prevalence of abnormal HbA1c levels was highest among the youngest age group. Age and BMI were positively associated with FBS and HOMA‐IR (p < 0.001). However, there was negative correlation of WHR with HOMA‐IR (p < 0.01) and HbA1c (p = 0.01). Conclusion: The high prevalence of impaired glucose metabolism observed among the children and adolescents living with HIV in sub‐Saharan Africa is of concern as this could contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome in adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Question/Issue: For firms with institutional dual holders, is proxy voting affected by whether the vote is confidential? Does confidential voting affect firms' cost of debt? Research Findings/Insights: Consistent with social exchange theory and reciprocity norms, we find that, in the absence of confidential voting, firms with institutional dual holders gain more favorable votes for proposals and, in particular, for management‐sponsored compensation proposals. Further, these firms pay a higher cost of borrowing. This reciprocity relation does not exist if the firm has confidential voting in place. Theoretical/Academic Implications: The results are consistent with reciprocity norms creating a psychological obligation to repay valuable favors between firm managers and institutional dual holders when proxy votes are not confidential. Practitioner/Policy Implications: The findings support the popular position that confidential voting is in the best interests of shareholders and rigorous external corporate governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental justice literature demonstrates consistently that low‐income and minority communities are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards. In this case study, we examined cumulative multipollutant, multidomain, and multimatrix environmental exposures in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin for the year 2015. We identified spatial hot spots in Milwaukee County both individually (using local Moran's I) and through clusters (using K‐means clustering) across a profile of environmental pollutants that span regulatory domains and matrices of exposure, as well as socioeconomic indicators. The cluster with the highest exposures within the urban area was largely characterized by low socioeconomic status and an overrepresentation of the Non‐Hispanic Black population relative to the county as a whole. In this cluster, average pollutant concentrations were equivalent to the 78th percentile in county‐level blood lead levels, 67th percentile in county‐level NO2, 79th percentile in county‐level CO, and 78th percentile in county‐level air toxics. Simultaneously, this cluster had an average equivalent to the 62nd percentile in county‐level unemployment, 70th percentile in county‐level population rate lacking a high school diploma, 73rd percentile in county‐level poverty rate, and 28th percentile in county‐level median household income. The spatial patterns of pollutant exposure and SES indicators suggested that these disparities were not random but were instead structured by socioeconomic and racial factors. Our case study, which combines environmental pollutant exposures, sociodemographic data, and clustering analysis, provides a roadmap to identify and target overburdened communities for interventions that reduce environmental exposures and consequently improve public health. Plain Language Summary: Our study focused on Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, where we examined how people in this region were exposed to different types of pollutants. We found that areas with the highest levels of pollution (e.g., lead, nitrogen dioxide) had a higher proportion of Black residents and residents that experienced social and economic challenges (e.g., unemployment, poverty, and low education). Our work adds to the growing evidence that patterns of pollution and economic challenges are not random, but rather, racially and socially structured. By understanding these patterns, we can develop policies that reduce pollution in these areas and improve the health for residents in these overburdened communities. Key Points: We examine cumulative exposures to multiple pollutants and their association with socioeconomic and racial disparities in Milwaukee CountyWe highlight census block groups that are most vulnerable to pollution and low socioeconomic status (SES), which can be prioritized for regulatory interventionsPeople of color in Milwaukee County are not just exposed to high pollution, they are often exposed within the context of low SES [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L) Lam) is prioritized among crops that enhance food security and reduce malnutrition in Ghana. The production is expanding faster than other food crops owing to its superior nutrient composition. This study evaluates integrated approaches to increase on‐farm productivity, income, and utilization of sweetpotato. The first part evaluated the agronomic yield performance, financial return, and sensory quality of 10 varieties under different fertilizer treatments. The second part of activities assessed both storage root and leaf composition (i.e., total sugars, dry matter, protein, Fe, Zn, Ca, total phenolic, total monomeric anthocyanins, lutein, zeaxanthin, α‐tocopherol, β‐carotene, and total carotenoids). Third, storage stability characteristics were assessed (i.e., shelf life and the incidence of decay). Application of NPK of 40:40:70 at 300 kg ha−1 significantly (p < 0.001) increased storage root yield from 12.4 to 17.3 t ha−1, which represents a 32% increase in yield compared to farmers' standard practice. The variety SARI‐JanLow (where SARI is Savanna Agricultural Research Institute) was outstanding for root yield (23.5 t ha−1) and β‐carotene content (20.8 Mg 100 g−1). SARI‐Tiemeh was consistently ranked among the three most preferred varieties by the sensory panel across the production hubs. At locations Nyankpala and Nikongo, the most responsive varieties to fertilizer application with regard to marketable storage root yield were SARI‐Tiemeh (108%) and PGA14351‐4 (79%), respectively. The varieties SARI‐Nyumengre (1.4%), SARI‐Nyoriberi‐gu (1.4%), and PGA14351‐4 (1.6%) were the least susceptible to sweetpotato weevil attack. Considering the benefit–cost ratio and a return on investments, the four most economically viable varieties appear to be SARI‐JanLow, SARI‐Suyolo, SARI‐Tiemeh, and SARI‐Nyoriberi‐gu. Core Ideas: Fertilizer application increased storage root yield productivity by 36%–108% compared to farmers' standard practice.The benefit–cost ratio of 4.1:6 and a return on investment of 306%–501% were recorded in high‐yielding varieties.SARI‐JanLow (where SARI is Savanna Agricultural Research Institute) recorded the highest storage root yield and β‐carotene content, but SARI‐Tiemeh possesses superior sensory qualities.At the 40% decay threshold, SARI‐Nyoriberi‐gu, SARI‐Nyumengre, and SARI‐Nan showed longer shelf‐life.Leaf nutrients are compared favorably with vegetables such as Amaranthus spp. and Colocasia spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endangered Southern Resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) are fish‐eaters that preferentially prey on adult Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Despite being salmon specialists, individuals from all three killer whale pods (J, K, L) have been observed harassing and killing porpoises (family Phocoenidae) without consuming them. Retrospectively, we identified and analyzed 78 episodes of Southern Resident killer whales harassing porpoises between 1962 and 2020, of which 28 resulted in the porpoise's death ("phocoenacide"). Fifty‐six episodes involved harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), 13 involved Dall's porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli), and the porpoise species was unreported for nine episodes. Southern Resident killer whales often targeted young porpoises that were similar in size to adult Chinook salmon. Both sexes participated in porpoise harassment. Juveniles engaged in the behavior the most; however, their rates of engagement were not found to differ significantly from most other age classes. The behavior was passed through generations and social groupings, as it was first observed in L pod and spread to the other two pods. Killer whales are highly complex animals known to exhibit social learning and cultural transmission of learned behaviors, but the reason(s) for this behavior is unknown. Hypotheses include the social and developmental benefits of play, hunting practice, or displaced epimeletic behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with neuroendocrine tumours located in the gastroenteropancreatic tract (GEP‐NETs) and treatment with somatostatin analogues (SSA's) are at risk of malnutrition which has been reported previously evaluating weight loss or body mass index (BMI) only. The global leadership into malnutrition (GLIM) criteria include weight loss, BMI, and sarcopenia, for diagnosing malnutrition. These GLIM criteria have not been assessed in patients with GEP‐NETs on SSA. The effect of malnutrition on overall survival has not been explored before. The aim of this study is to describe the presence of malnutrition in patients with GEP‐NET on SSA based on the GLIM criteria and associate this with overall survival. Cross‐sectional study screening all patients with GEP‐NETs on SSA's for malnutrition using the GLIM criteria. Body composition analysis for sarcopenia diagnosis were performed. Bloods including vitamins, minerals, and lipid profile were collected. Overall survival since the date of nutrition screening was calculated. Uni‐ and multivariate Cox regression analysis were performed to identify malnutrition as risk factor for overall survival. A total of 118 patients, 47% male, with median age 67 years (IQR 56.8–75.0) were included. Overall, malnutrition was present in 88 patients (75%); based on low BMI in 26 (22%) patients, based on weight loss in 35 (30%) patients, and based on sarcopenia in 83 (70%) patients. Vitamin deficiencies were present for vitamin D in 64 patients (54%), and vitamin A in 29 patients (25%). The presence of malnutrition demonstrated a significantly worse overall survival (p‐value =.01). In multivariate analysis meeting 2 or 3 GLIM criteria was significantly associated with worse overall survival (HR 2.16 95% CI 1.34–3.48, p‐value =.002). Weight loss was the most important risk factor out of the 3 GLIM criteria (HR 3.5 95% CI 1.14–10.85, p‐value =.03) for worse overall survival. A high percentage (75%) of patients with GEP‐NETs using a SSA meet the GLIM criteria for malnutrition. Meeting more than 1 GLIM criterium, especially if there is weight loss these are risk factors for worse overall survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the sleep characteristics of British student‐athletes and examines the relationships between sport scheduling and time demands on sleep outcomes. Student‐athletes (n = 157, 51% male) completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and the Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI). Self‐reported sleep characteristics on weekdays and weekends, weekly frequencies of early morning and late evening sport sessions, and academic‐related and sport‐related time demands were also collected. Questionnaires revealed a high prevalence of undesired sleep characteristics including poor sleep quality (global PSQI >5 in 49.0%) and low sleep durations on weekdays (25% reporting <7 h). Paired t‐tests revealed significant differences in bedtime, waketime, sleep duration, and sleep onset latency between weekdays and weekends (all p < 0.01). Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that early morning sport frequency was a significant predictor of PSQI (β = 0.30) and SHI (β = 0.24) global scores, weekday waketimes (β = −0.17), and weekday sleep durations (β = −0.25; all p < 0.05) in models adjusted for participant characteristics. Late evening sport frequency, and academic‐related and sport‐related time demands, were not significant predictors of any sleep outcome. Adjusting sport scheduling to avoid early start times could provide a means to improve sleep outcomes and may improve sporting performance and academic attainment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This intervention study aimed to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of Health-Tracker, a post-discharge surgical site infection surveillance system. Participants were 730 women birthing by caesarean section at a large hospital over a 6-month period. Data were downloaded from clinical data systems and HealthTracker. Receiver operating characteristics were used to assess HealthTracker. Over a 6-month period, 382 women completed HealthTracker, with 83 scoring >6, indicating signs and symptoms of surgical site infection. Of this 83, 58 sought advice from health professionals, 29 returned to hospital, and 45 received antibiotics. A total of 20 infections from a total population of 730 were confirmed, with 14 out of 382 respondents confirmed via HealthTracker. Receiver operating characteristics identified HealthTracker as an excellent indicator of surgical site infection. HealthTracker is a feasible mHealth option for monitoring post-discharge surgical site infection post-caesarean section. In addition, by providing alerts, advising women to monitor their symptoms and seek treatment if necessary, HealthTracker has the potential to enhance self-efficacy for surgical wound monitoring at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In pre‐eclampsia models, nicotinamide (NAM) has protective effects in pre‐eclampsia and is being evaluated as a therapeutic nutraceutical in clinical studies. NAM undergoes extensive hepatic metabolism by NAM N‐methyltransferase to methylnicotinamide (MNA), which is subsequently metabolized to methyl‐2‐pyridone‐5‐carboxamide (M2PY) by aldehyde oxidase. However, the pharmacokinetics of NAM and its major metabolites has never been studied in pregnant individuals. Blood samples were collected before and 1, 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours after single 1 g oral NAM dose in healthy pregnant (gestational age 24–33 weeks) and nonpregnant female volunteers (n = 6/group). Pooled urine was collected from 0 to 8 hours. NAM, MNA, and M2PY area under the concentration‐time curve (AUC) data were analyzed by noncompartmental analysis. No difference in the plasma AUC0→24 of NAM (median (25%–75%): 463 (436–576) vs. 510 (423, 725) μM*hour, P = 0.430) and its intermediate metabolite MNA (89.1 (60.4, 124.4) vs. 83.8 (62.7, 93.7) μM*hour, P = 0.515) was observed in pregnant and nonpregnant volunteers, respectively; however, the terminal metabolite M2PY AUC0 → 24 was significantly lower in pregnant individuals (218 (188, 254) vs. 597 (460, 653) μM*hour, P < 0.001). NAM renal clearance (CLR; P = 0.184), MNA CLR (P = 0.180), and total metabolite formation clearance (P = 0.405) did not differ across groups; however, M2PY CLR was significantly higher in pregnant individuals (10.5 (9.3–11.3) vs. 7.5 (6.4–8.5) L/h, P = 0.002). These findings demonstrate that the PK of NAM and systemic exposure to its intermediate metabolite MNA are not significantly altered during pregnancy, and systemic exposure to NAM's major metabolite M2PY was reduced during pregnancy due to increased renal elimination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The COVID‐19 pandemic necessitated emergency changes to teaching, learning and assessment across higher education. Healthcare courses were particularly affected because of their interdependence with overstretched health services. We used this unprecedented situation to provide insight into how students react to unexpected crises and how institutions can most effectively support them. Materials and Methods: This cohort study explored students' experiences of the pandemic across programmes and stages from five schools (medicine, dentistry, biomedical sciences, psychology and health professions) in a health faculty in a UK university. We carried out an inductive thematic analysis on the data collected. Results: Many students reported fluctuating emotions and struggled to adapt to home working. Students' changes in motivation and coping strategies varied, many found structure, recreation and social interaction important. Opinions on how well online learning worked relative to face‐to‐face diverged across programmes. Conclusion: A one‐size‐fits‐all blended learning response is unlikely to be appropriate. Our study shows students across one faculty, within one institution, responded diversely to an emergency affecting them all. Educators need to be flexible and dynamic in delivering curricula and supporting students responding to an unexpected crisis during their higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine management and outcomes of patients presenting to EDs with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome, who have mild non‐dynamically elevated high‐sensitivity troponin T (HsTnT) levels, not meeting the fourth universal definition of myocardial infarction (MI) criteria (observation group). Methods: Consecutive patients presenting to the ED with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome at Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, Australia, those having ≥2 HsTnT levels after initial assessment were adjudicated according to the fourth universal definition of MI, as MI ruled‐in, MI ruled‐out, or myocardial injury in whom MI is neither ruled‐in nor ruled‐out (>1 level ≥15 ng/L, called observation group); follow‐up was 5 years. Results: Of 2738 patients, 547 were in the observation group, of whom 62% were admitted to hospital, 52% to cardiac services, whereas 97% of MI ruled‐in patients and 21% of MI ruled‐out patients were admitted; P < 0.001. Non‐invasive testing occurred in 42% of observation group patients (36% had echo‐cardiography), and 16% had coronary angiography. Of observation group patients, MI rates were 1.5% during hospitalisation and 4% during the following year, similar to that in those with MI ruled‐in, among those with MI ruled‐out, the MI rate was 0.2%. The 1‐year death rate was 13% among observation group patients and 11% MI ruled‐in patients (P = 0.624), whereas at 5 years among observation group patients, type 1 MI and type 2 MI were 48%, 26% and 58%, respectively (P = 0.001). Conclusion: Very few unselected consecutive patients attending ED, with minor stable HsTnT elevation, had MI, although most had chronic myocardial injury. Late mortality rates among observation group patients were higher than those with confirmed type 1 MI but lower than those with type 2 MI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population‐level, historical studies can provide insights on the distribution, abundance and demographic characteristics of imperiled species prior to human exploitation, habitat modification or climate change. These studies provide a baseline for contemporary data, which often shape successful management and recovery.The smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) occupies ~20% of its historical range due to declines driven primarily by mortalities in fisheries and coastal habitat loss over the last century. As a result, they are listed as Critically Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and as Endangered federally in the United States (U.S.).Because P. pectinata grow to a large size and have a toothed rostrum, many historical photographs and specimens are archived in natural history collections. Metadata and morphometric data were collected and analysed from P. pectinata photographs (n = 84) and specimens (n = 429) to evaluate temporal changes in average size and historical distribution of five age classes in U.S. waters.Historically, smaller age classes were well‐distributed throughout the northern Gulf of Mexico, while only larger age classes were recorded on the U.S. east coast, north of Florida. All age classes were found in both Florida and Texas historically, but records from Texas decline after the 1980s and remain persistent in Florida, indicative of a strong‐hold for the U.S. population. Regardless of origin, individuals in three of the five age classes were larger on average historically than those observed today.Understanding which age classes used previously occupied areas will help direct habitat restoration efforts and support recovery, especially in the face of climate change. Non‐traditional data sources, such as those used here, may often be the only means of providing historical context to modern research on imperiled species, ultimately guiding restoration and conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates whether Candida auris colonizes the oral cavity, highlighting its emergence in healthcare facilities and its resistance to disinfectants and drugs. Topics discussed include the emergence of C. auris, its resistance to multiple drug classes, and the lack of recovery from the oral cavity in a retrospective institutional study, suggesting a low colonization potential.

Patients with chronic and severe hearing loss, refractory to nonsurgically‐worn devices, may consider use of cochlear implants to regain auditory capability. Cochlear implants consist of surgically emplaced and externally worn components. There are few published examples of the radiographic presentation of these devices appearing in the special needs‐based dental literature. This article features a case report and panoramic radiographic examination involving a 67‐year‐old patient who received bilateral cochlear implants after experiencing a traumatic brain injury and onset loss of hearing. A brief review of strategies for communicating with individuals with severe hearing impairment has also been provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]